'The Greatest Show on Earth!'

After an interminable time spent in the USPS netherworld, this beauty finally arrived safely over the weekend. I am relieved and overjoyed to share it here.



Titus as Caesar
Æ Sestertius, 25.13g
Rome mint, 72 AD (Vespasian)
RIC 431 (R). BMC 636.
Obv: T CAES VESPASIAN IMP PON TR POT COS II; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: S C in exergue; Titus stg. r., with branch and sceptre, in quadriga r.
Acquired from Wallinmynt, February 2019.

In summer 71 AD Vespasian and Titus held a double triumph celebrating their victory for the recently concluded Judaean War. The spectacular triumph was held a few days after Titus' arrival from the East in June and could be viewed as his effective homecoming party. Mary Beard has shrewdly observed that the triumph served as 'the Flavian coronation, the official launch party and press night of the Flavian dynasty.' It was the first time after Vespasian's rise to the purple that the whole family could be seen together by the Roman populace. Vespasian and Titus were identically dressed riding in matching quadrigas while Domitian trotted alongside on a splendid mount. The procession included massive towering floats depicting various 'battles' (one wonders how the makeshift naval battle on the Sea of Galilee was rendered?) that were so enormous many onlookers feared they would topple over. Booty from the destroyed Temple (the famous Menorah for one) along with other Eastern flavoured treasures were on display. Much of these treasures were likely manufactured in Rome for the event - a lavish sham in other words. The war ravaged region really didn't have much to offer in the way of razzmatazz show pieces, even the Temple's coffers were likely depleted by war's end. Despite all this, it cannot be underestimated how important this manufactured spectacle was for the young dynasty. The legitimacy and prestige the triumph provided to the family was worth every propaganda penny the regime spent on it, allowing Vespasian to announce to the world that Titus was his chosen heir. By showcasing his eldest son on an equal footing in the procession, it left little doubt who would succeed after his death. Coins were struck in all metals to commemorate the event. Here is a rare sestertius struck for Titus Caesar in 72 showing him in triumphal dress riding in a triumphal quadriga, the type is more commonly seen in silver from Antioch. The same reverse was identically struck for Vespasian, clear numismatic evidence of Vespasian's intentions for his son. The piece itself serves as a superb memento of the 'Greatest Show on Earth' triumph put on by the Flavian regime in the late First century.

The fine style portrait on the obverse is quite impressive, unmarred by three punch marks from antiquity. I assume the marks were to test if the coin's metal was good, although I've only encountered them on silver.

Interestingly, the depiction of Titus on the coin's reverse can also be seen today on the Arch of Titus, erected by Domitian.




The triumph itself has been of interest to artists down through the ages, most notably by Giulio Romano in 1537. Curiously, Vespasian and Titus share the same quadriga here.




And this etching from the 1645 more appropriately takes its cue from the coin's reverse and the Arch of Titus.




Please feel free to share any triumphal or Titus coins you may have.

 

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Congrats David on adding this stunning historical piece. I love the portrait and the reverse has a certain majesty to it.

 

Yes, an amazing piece David. Very nice coin, I love that two tone patina. Simply gorgeous.

I'll post the corresponding denarius of Domitian riding his magnificent horse in the triumph...



RIC 680 Domitian denarius

CAES AVG F DOMIT COS II
Laureate head of Domitian right

No legend
Domitian on horseback prancing left, right hand raised, holding human-headed (helmet) sceptre in left

Rome 73 AD

3.25g

RIC 680 (C); Sear 2627


Ex-Forum

The reverse depicts Domitian participating in the Judaea Capta triumph of 71 A.D. He is, as Josephus described him, riding alongside in magnificent apparel and mounted on a horse that was itself a site worth seeing.

 

Great coin @David Atherton and thanks for the informative write-up. I believe this is the first time a son directly succeeded his father in the principate.

 

David Atherton, Nice score on the sestertius & excellent write-up except for one passage I take issue with: "Much of these treasures were likely manufactured in Rome for the event - a lavish sham in other words. The war ravished region really didn't have much to offer in the way of razzmatazz show pieces, even the Temple's coffers were likely depleted by war's end." Josephus writing on the Jewish War, Book 5, Chapter 5, A description of the Temple, Sections 3-7, describes in great detail the incredible treasures that were looted from the Temple, actually witnessing the event. What was paraded in the triumph celebration was no "sham". The looted treasures along with the thousands of slaves taken were a financial windfall for Rome.

 

Yet another treasure in your collection !

Q

 

Roman Republic
Manlius Torquatus, Lucius Cornelius Sulla 82 BCE
AR Denarius 17mm 3.7g
Military mint traveling with Sulla.
Roma -
Sulla triumphal quadriga victory wreath
Craw 367-3 Syd 759 Sear 286



RI Titus 79-81 CE AR Denarius Ceres seated corn ear poppy torch

 

very nice piece David..i'm short on triumphal's of any sort at the moment..Titus front and center

 

That is a fantastic coin David. The Flavians in quadriga is one of my favorite types whether in gold, silver or giant bronze.

 

A similar, but not identical coin:
Titus, as Caesar; 69-79 AD. Æ Sestertius. "JUDAEA CAPTA" issue. Rome mint. Struck 72 AD. Obv: Laureate head right. Rev: Titus standing in triumphal quadriga, right, holding scepter and branch. The chariot is ornamented with Nike standing r. holding wreath in outstretched arm. “S.C” IN EX.. RIC II, 611 (Vespasian); Hendin 790, fourth edition, except differing obverse legend.

 

A really nice example @PeteB

 

And a quite worn denarius:
Titus. As Caesar, 69-79 AD. AR Denarius (17mm, 2.85 g, 6h). “Judaea Capta” commemorative. Rome mint. Struck under Vespasian, 72-73 AD. Obv: T CAES IMP VESP PON TRPOT, Laureate head right. Rev: Titus standing right, holding branch and scepter, in quadriga right. RIC II 371 (Vespasian); Hendin 1483; RSC 394.

 

Thank you, Orfew!

 

I follow closely Josephus scholar Steve Mason's interpretation of the triumph in his A History of the Jewish War A.D. 66-74 (pp. 25-26).

Given War’s detailed history of Judaea as a long-held Roman territory in
Books 1 and 2, the next part of the triumph is particularly interesting. What
will Vespasian and Titus do for the mounds of foreign plunder that are
supposed to front the procession? Josephus is duly impressed by the display
produced, but this is not because he recognizes it from Judaea. He cannot say:
“Oh look: the silver plate from the high priest’s residence,” or “See the gold
from Sepphoris and jewels from Tiberias!” Instead he turns vague and repetitive,
declaring how “amazing and expensive” and “rare” the exhibited stuff is
(7.133–37, 140). But what is it?
His covering statement is that the Flavians put on display “the vastness of the
Roman imperium” (7.133). Heading the parade were “silver, gold, and elephant
[i.e., ivory], fashioned in every kind of way” (7.135), “woven carpets in the
rarest purple . . . and vividly accurate representations, embroidered in the
Babylonian technique” (7.134). Then came precious translucent stones, some
set in gold crowns (7.135). This language suggests broadly eastern themes.
“Accurate representation” of either human or animal life was certainly not a
Judaean trait, because it was taken to violate one of their most distinctive
laws ‒ a point he has made repeatedly. Are these Judaean spoils at all, then?
There is no good reason to think so. He has mentioned one Babylonian-style
curtain in Jerusalem, hanging before the temple sanctuary (5.212–14), as a oneoff
wonder, but many such curtains are on display here. The diaphanous stones
are particularly intriguing (7.135). Ancient authors use that expression (λίθοι
διαφανεῖς) for pearls or topaz, which they associate not with landlocked
Judaea but with the Red Sea and points east.
The gold crowns evoke the luxury of eastern potentates, or perhaps Roman
largesse, not the scenes of Flavian prowess in rural Galilee or Peraea or the
capital Jerusalem. Josephus has mentioned gold crowns five times, but mostly
when describing gifts of Roman provenance. The only Judaeans who might
own such crowns, the Herodian royals, were already close friends of the
Flavians and allies in the war. If their jewels were on display, it would have
been a friendly loan for the occasion. Josephus does not even suggest that the
jewel-encrusted specimens come from Jerusalem. Anyway, it seems that no
monarchs were harmed in their appropriation.
Also catching is his repeated reference to “elephant” (ἐλέφας 7.136, 141,
151), not the derivative for “ivory,” which he uses for the ivory chairs (above)
but the whole beast for the part. This again suggests general eastern-exotic
realms rather than elephant-free Judaea. He encourages the surmise that the
parade organizers scavenged whatever they could to dazzle Rome’s populace,
who were neither art critics nor historians.
Next come “statues of their Gods, amazing in size and of formidable craft,
not one of them lacking an expensive covering of some kind” (7.136),
accompanied by “animals of many kinds,” lavishly decked out and accompanied
by attendants in rich costume. “Their Gods” invites a satirical reflection. The
supposedly divine beings are carefully fashioned and richly accessorized (οὐ
παρέργως πεποιημένα . . . ῆς ὕλης τῆς πολυτελοῦς). The honour bestowed
on these pint-size productions contradicts everything that War’s reader knows
about what really happened at the Judaean God’s omnipotent orchestration.
The animals are a puzzle. Josephus does not explain whether they are
supposed to represent rare and exciting wildlife from Judaea or locally
recruited victims of the usual kind for the coming sacrifices (7.155). “Many
kinds” might suggest the former, but Judaea lacked exotic beasts to compete
with those that Romans could see in frequent entertainments: elephants,
giraffes, hippos, bears, crocodiles, and so on. On the restored Arch of Titus,
high up beneath the architrave that has largely survived on the east face, is a
small frieze depicting this part of the procession. It includes many animals,
although not many kinds, not even the traditional Roman trio of boar, ram,
and bull. They all seem to be bulls or oxen headed for sacrifice, with
decorative banners draped over them. Their attendants are half-naked and
wield axes. Every part of this looks to be from Rome. Josephus’ emphasis is
on the dress-up (κοσμέω) involved, especially that of the attendants in their
expensive purple laced with gold ‒ a Roman contrivance for the occasion and
not from Judaea.

 

Very nice example Pete. Here is mine.

Titus as Caesar
AR Denarius, 3.20g
Rome Mint, 72-73AD (Vespasian)
RIC 371 (R2). BMC p.15. RSC 394.
Obv: T CAES IMP VESP PON TR POT; Head of Titus, laureate, bearded, r.
Rev: No Legend; Titus stg. r. with branch and sceptre, in quadriga r.
Ex Harry N. Sneh Collection.

And rarer still is Vespasian's denarius of the type.


Vespasian
AR Denarius, 3.08g
Rome mint, 71 AD
RIC 49 (R2). BMC p. 14 note. RSC 643 var.
Obv: IMP CAES VE-SP AVG P M; Head of Vespasian, laureate, r.
Rev: No legend. Vespasian laureate, standing in triumphal quadriga r., horses pacing, holding branch in r. hand and sceptre in l.
Acquired from Ephesus Numismatics, December 2005.

This example also has the distinction of being the RIC plate coin!

 

A richly toned example Jay!

The type was struck in three variants: firstly, with a clockwise obverse legend and DOMITIAN fully spelled out (on the rev. Domitian's cloak is frequently seen flying behind). Secondly, it was shortened to DOMIT, with the legend still running clockwise. Lastly, the legend direction was changed to counter clockwise with DOMIT. The first two variants are quite rare, the last relatively common.

 

Great coins in this thread, I have to get around to photographing more of my Flavian quadrigas!

 

These two also fit the bill...




RIC 1076 Titus denarius

T CAESAR IMP VESPASIANVS
laureate head right

TR POT VIII COS VII
bound Jewish captive kneeling right in front of trophy

Rome mint, as Caesar, first half of 79 A.D
3.325g
18.5mm, 180o

Choice aVF

SRCV I 2449; RIC II (Vespasian) 1076 (C); BMCRE II 258; RSC II 334, Paris 229



T CAES IMP VESP PON TR POT
Laureate head of Titus right

Titus sanding right, left foot on helmet, holding spear and parazonium, Palm tree before him at foot of which Judaea, as a mourning captive, is seated right, on ground

Rome 72 AD
3.32g

RIC II 369 (R2)

Ex-Canadian Coin

The reverse celebrates the success of Vespasian and Titus in quelling the First Jewish Revolt. Also commonly known as Judea Capta denarius.

Wildwinds example

 

I tend to follow the translation of Dr. Paul L. Maier, JOSEPHUS, The Essential Works, now available in a handy condensed form, Jewish Antiquities and The Jewish War. This abridged edition eliminates most of the lengthy & contrived harangues by Josephus along with superfluous info relating to the Scriptures. Dr. Maier writes: "A Roman Triumph. After a favorable voyage, Titus received as enthusiastic a welcome in Rome as Vespasian had. His father & Domitian came out to meet him, & the citizens were overjoyed to see the three princes together. They decided to celebrate their success by one common triumph. When the day arrived, the entire city poured out to view the pageant of victory."
After addressing the soldiers & dismissing them for a traditional breakfast "The princes then sent the procession on its way through the Triumphal Gate, driving via the theaters to give the crowds a better view. Words cannot describe the magnificence of the procession and the articles displayed: gold, silver, and ivory, all wrought in various forms: beautiful tapestries, worked in Babylon: jewels and crowns of gold: and images of gods made of costly materials. Animals of many species were led along by men clad in purple, and even the hoard of captives were well dressed."
"Then the spoils were displayed in confused heaps, and above them all were those taken from the temple at Jerusalem, including a golden table, a candelabrum with seven branches, and a copy of the Jewish Law. Next came a large group carrying images of victory made of gold and ivory, and finally Vespasian himself, driving his chariot, followed by Titus, while Domitian rode rode beside him in magnificent apparel, mounted on a steed."
Enough wealth was plundered from Jerusalem to fund many public work projects & the most important structure in all of antiquity the Flavian Amphitheater, better known as the Colosseum.

 

I'm sure there was much to plunder in the temple. The city was encircled by the Romans around Passover, so the temple treasury would have been full. The sacred utensils and candelabra would have been inside. But I think the real "wealth" came from the sale of so many into slavery.